Michael Gelfand
Professor of Cello

3031 Bliss Hall
330/742-3640 (studio)
330/742-1490 (fax)
mgelfand@cc.ysu.edu

Michael Gelfand received his Bachelor of Music degree at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana, and his Master of Music at the Cleveland Institute of Music in cello and conducting. His cello teachers have included Janos Starker, Fritz Magg, and Marion Feldman. He pursued doctoral studies in conducting at the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, and at the Pierre Monteux School for Advanced Conductors. From 1980-1990 he was Director of Orchestra, Opera and Musical Theater Productions at the Dana School of Music at Youngstown State University.

Since 1975 he has been Professor of Music at Youngstown State University and Principal Cellist of the Youngstown Symphony and Warren Chamber Orchestra, and has performed concerts since 1990 as a member of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra cello section. He is a former member of the Cleveland Orchestra, former principal cellist of the Syracuse Symphony, and member of the Cazenovia String Quartet.

Gelfand is active as a guest soloist, conductor, adjudicator at many high schools, colleges, and music festivals throughout the United States. He was awarded the Distinguished Professor of Music Award at Youngstown State University in 1984, and was promoted to the rank of Full Professor in 1994. Mr. Gelfand performs as a member of the Amici Trio in residence at Youngstown State University. In August 2002 Michael Gelfand was named Music Director/Conductor of the Greenville Symphony Orchestra, in Greenville, PA. Gelfand was named Music Director/Conductor of the Ashtabula Area Orchestra in June 1992, and in that capacity has expanded its season which now includes subscription and pops concerts, as well as performances with the Ashtabula Arts Center Ballet, the Ashtabula County Choral Society, and the Youngstown Symphony Chorus.